Chapter 1

Four years ago, I messed with a man.

When things were incredibly sweet between us, we'd been intimate. But then, in a blink, I took money from the campus belle.

I made sure the campus belle ended up by his side, taking my place.

Then, I vanished without a trace.

Later, they became the perfect couple, like something out of a fairy tale.

And I? I was just there to play the part of a paid companion for clients at their party, helping them with their drinks.

Liam grabbed my wrist, his eyes dark and deep. "Chloe, don't you have anything to say?"

I glanced at the campus belle, then smiled, pulling my hand away.

"I wish you happiness."

His face just shattered, a look of near madness in his eyes.

Four years after leaving him, I ran into him again, completely out of the blue.

This business gala was packed with the biggest names in the city's elite circles. I was there as a paid companion for a wealthy client; the tips were good.

I even ran into a few old classmates.

My old classmates were so stunned, they could barely keep up their conversations with others.

They kept sneaking glances at me.

They wanted to see my expression, and Liam's, practically itching to pull out their phones and record this classic, dramatic scene.

After all, to outsiders, Liam and Scarlett, the campus belle, had fallen in love overnight four years ago, while I, his girlfriend, had vanished heartbroken. Now, here I was, attending an event with some powerful CEO.

Such a messy, drama-filled plot. Everyone loves a good train wreck, right?

I kept my head down.

Staring at the floor, it was funny, but I could tell exactly where Liam was just by looking at their shoes.

Liam's legs were still the same as before.

Straight and long. I remember one time, we broke curfew for a date, decided to hike up a mountain to watch the sunrise.

I fell asleep on the mountaintop, missed the sunrise, but ended up sleeping for a whole day, hugging his legs.

I complained sweetly that he hadn't woken me.

But Liam just held me and said, "Silly girl, if you want to see the sunrise, I'll carry you here. Are you worried the sun won't rise tomorrow?"

All these years, I've just had to look up to see the sun.

But when I turned around, my Liam was gone.

Four years. Does he treat Scarlett the same way now?

It was Scarlett's voice, the campus belle from back then. She said, "I'm getting married soon. I can't believe I ran into you here. You have to come!"

Mr. Anderson, my client who knew nothing, burst out laughing beside me.